While IHOP in the USA has national Pancake Day, people in Russia and the Ukraine celebrate a pancake week! Maslinitsa or Blini (Ма́сленица) are ultra-thin, slightly tart pancakes more akin to the French crepes or German blintz. The week-long pancake holiday, also known as Maslinitsa, is the oldest surviving Russian holiday. Evidence suggests it may […]
Culture
China’s Newest Status Symbol
A recent article from BBC pointed out one of China’s latest social problems: etiquette. China has become one of the most powerful countries in the world. In a 30 year span, the country has moved from an isolated state to a powerhouse requiring more interaction with other cultures. China has also gained an incredible amount […]
Cricket World Cup 2015
Cricket is a widely popular sport mostly associated with the UK and countries that were at some point under British rule. This year, the Cricket World Cup includes some unlikely teams. Afghanistan for one, a team made up of Afghanis and Pakistanis, made its debut onto the world stage this year. While their fight is […]
Chinese New Year 2015
This year the Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, begins on February 19th. It is the longest celebration on the Chinese calendar, and many consider it to be the most important holiday in China. The belief behind the holiday is that people born on the corresponding years of animals will take on some […]
Let the Good Times Roll: Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebrations
Colorful celebrations are about to begin! All around the world, countries are preparing for Carnival or Mardi-Gras. This period before Lent has turned into a spectacular event, with a week or month-long celebrations in some parts of the world. Carnival refers to the period of feasting and fun that begins on January 6th, the Feast […]
Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
With “snowpocalypse” and snowstorm Juno wrapping up in the Northeastern US, people are finding creative uses for their snow. Many build snowmen or form ramps to go sledding, skiing, or snowboarding on, or simply use the snow as an extra cooler and place anything from meat to alcohol in the packed snow. Around the world, people […]
